The UK government agency, One NorthEast, is aggressively scouting for partnership opportunities in the domestic pharma industry in the area of research and development. The UK government agency with its main focus in the area of oncology, enzymes, genetics, plant biotechnology, stem cells and regenerative medicine, infectious diseases, diagnostics and medical devices has initiated talks with pharma and biotech players in the country.

North East England, the region that the UK agency represents is one of the major global locations for the pharmaceutical industry, with 33% of the UK?s pharmaceutical GDP generated within the region. The region is home to global pharmaceutical giants such as Sanofi Aventis, GSK and Merck Sharp and Dome. For the purpose of zeroing down on the right alliances, we have already stationed a team in Chennai,? Benjamin Fisher, investment and aftercare specialist advisor, One NorthEast told FE in a telecon from UK, who plans to make around three visits to India this year so that he can facilitate perfect matches between the companies in the region and Indian companies and scale up investment opportunities between the two countries. ?We are not only approaching large players, but are in talks with small and medium enterprises with core competence in complementary verticals to analyse where they can fit in the value chain of R&D, production and sales and marketing,? Fisher added.

The region?s healthcare and life sciences economy is valued at $6.5 billion and the region employs 1,40,000 people. The region houses universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside, which have competence in biotechnology, chemistry, engineering and pharmacology that aids business in the sector. The region also has over 400 supply chain companies that collaborate through the North East of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) and focus their Health Care R&D through the Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS).The total annual turnover of the region?s business stands close to $65 billion.

Apart from pharma, medical devices, clinical trial and biotech, some other sectors that the government agency is focusing on include renewable energy, low carbon technologies including electric vehicles, software firms. Some of the Indian companies which already have presence in the region include Shasun Pharmaceutical Ltd, Tata (Corus), Britannia Biscuits, Tech Mahindra, Sunfest Energy Ltd and 5th Generation Technologies. According to Fisher, a total of 16 Indian companies are already present in the region.